Hattiesburg | After 70 years, reader says goodbye

In an e-mail yesterday, Hattiesburg American reader Milton Waldoff told me the following:

This morning (Sunday, July 24, 2011) I did not get my local Sunday morning newspaper, the Hattiesburg American. This happens so very frequently, I'm on a first name basis with the Circulation Department -- so frequently that, earlier this week, I e-mailed the General Manager and was told delivery of the American is "contracted out!"

Her statement, as copied and pasted:

"Thanks so much for taking the time to email me with your concerns about the Hattiesburg American’s delivery. As General Manager, I am ultimately responsible for all operations here at the newspaper. I agree 100% that our delivery service is not what it should be. About three years ago, the Hattiesburg American made the decision to contract out the delivery of the newspaper. We now have contracts with three delivery Agents responsible for the delivery of the Hattiesburg American, The Clarion Ledger and the USA Today. This decision has been beneficial in many ways but has made it much harder for me to manage the delivery process. Please know that I am working diligently to improve our service."

Like thousands of other locals, I have elected to not renew my subscription when it expires in eight or so weeks. Being a life-long resident of Hattiesburg, Miss., I have read the paper all my life. As a child in the 1930's we -- my older sister and younger brother -- were required to read the American and be able to discuss items published in the American over dinner. My father came to Hattiesburg in 1924, my mother in 1925. They insisted on our being aware of what was happening. They insisted that we all get good educations, sending us out of state to universities, my brother to Europe. I have always looked forward to reading newspapers. When traveling, I always pick up USA Today, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and very often local papers. It is disgusting to me that over the past four or five years too often the American has not been delivered. And let me say, I live in the city limits in a middle-class subdivision on a lake with paved streets and street lights within 5 to 10 minutes from two universities.

For 70 years, our family owned and operated a business that regularly advertised in the American. Some years we were the single largest advertiser. The Newspaper Advertising Bureau (NAB) on a number of occasions selected Waldoff's advertising as some of the best in the United States, awarding us plaques, trophies, certificates at conferences in New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles. Currently I do consulting for retail stores nationally and purchase advertising for clients. Often, we use newspaper where the demographics, circulation and coverage merits.

Having said that, it is not surprising newspaper advertising sales are down on a local and national level for Gannett. I understand the dramatic impact the weak economy, Internet and television have had on the industry. Regardless, when the product cannot be delivered to those of us who want to receive their local paper, pay for their subscription in advance and still don't receive the paper -- the question is not what can be done to increase advertising sales, rather it is how soon before the paper stops publishing?

It will!

If I were a stockholder in Gannett, I'd bail out when the market opens tomorrow morning; there is no potential upside for a company that does not deliver its product to the consumer.

Goodbye Gannett!

Goodbye Hattiesburg American!

Respectfully,

Milton Waldoff
Waldoff Group
Hattiesburg, Miss.

[Image: recent screenshot from the American's homepage]